Lichenpaw's Training
by mossdawn
Summary: Lichenpaw has just started her apprenticeship. Her mentor, Dawnstream has to go on a battle patrol. Sorry, I have no idea how to summarize this. ONE-SHOT


_**Hello, you guys...Some of you have been wanting this story...and I was just looking through my documents on my netbook and I bound this story-without a name! I'm soo lucky right now! I don't have to write it! Yay! JK, anyway...I hope you like my first One-Shot. :)**_

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><p>Lichenpaw's Training: One-Shot<p>

"Okay, Lichenpaw. Now you know the belly rake and the scruff shake. Let's try the teeth grip." Dawnstream crouched on the ground beckoning with her tail to bring Lichenpaw infront of her. "The teeth grip is where you sink your teeth in your opponents legs, tail, scruff, or ears. You hold it and since your two paws are free you can do frontal attacks until the opponent flees." She took a long breath and took Lichenpaw by her scruff and batted her shoulders, claws sheathed.

Lichenpaw tried to struggle free, but she just tried to kick backwards with her hind legs. It unbalanced Dawnstream slightly but her tail was in the air balancing her perfectly.

She finally let her go, and Lichenpaw quickly stretched her neck.

"Wow, it also hurt my neck! I hope it doesn't break." Lichenpaw mewed.

Dawnstream nodded. "But it's best to go for the legs if you can. That way, you can't be unbalanced. Of course if you do it right. But that isn't basic." She felt her belly rumble and looked up at the sky. The sun was falling soon and they needed to hunt and go back to camp.

"Let's hunt." She led Lichenpaw deeper into the forest and stopped until they reached around the WindClan border. "Let me see your crouch."

Lichenpaw crouched down slowly but when she put her hind leg next to her front paws she tried to balance herself with her tail but she fell down. "Oops."

Dawnstream shook her head. "One: Never put your legs next to your paws like that. At least half a whisker distance. And Two: Your tail must never be up like that! Your prey will be alerted. Watch me."

Dawnstream crouched in the hunters crouched perfectly, her hindlegs slightly away from her paws, enough power to pounce and her tail slid like a snake on the ground. She checked if there were any leaves around her. None were to be seen and she crept up and pounced on a fallen tree.

Lichenpaw watched her mentor in amazement and tried again. She put her hind legs close to her paws and her tail was perfectly rolled up. She forgot to check for leaves around her and as she crept up she pounced on the fallen tree.

She looked up at her mentor who was nodding slowly but she could see disappointment in her eyes. "What did I do wrong?"

Dawnstream sat down."Remember to check around you if there are twigs or leaves. Always check. But try not to roll your tail either. It might unbalance you. You have to be well experienced to do that. But other than that, you did perfectly! I'm proud of you. Now let's see if you can catch your own prey for the first time!"

Dawnstream jumped off the tree and glanced over her shoulder to see Lichenpaw following. She sensed a vole next to a huge tree trying to get to its den with its prey. She quickly crouched down and crept to the panicking vole and pounced on it but the vole had already gone. She chased it to its den and before it got in she blocked its way and killed it harshly with her claws. "Stupid vole" she muttered.

Lichenpaw bounced excitedly around her mentor. "That was great!"

Dawnstream licked her chest quickly. "Now call out your senses."

Lichenpaw tasted the air and her ears flicked up when she smelled mouse. She quietly sneaked to the mouse who was nibbling on a juicy berry. She got into the hunters crouch but taking a little bit longer than her mentor and checking if everything was right. She check for leaves or twigs and spotted a twig next to her. She crept away from it and towards the mouse. When she was close to the mouse she pounced quickly and nipped it but she lost her balance and as she fell the mouse tried to run away towards a tree. Dawnstream flew to it and completed the bite.

Lichenpaw raced to Dawnstream, her eyes clouding. "I totally messed up, didn't I?"

Dawnstream shook her head. "No, not exactly. But Lichenpaw you just became an apprentice today. Sometimes, you won't be able to catch prey on your first time."

Lichenpaw bowed her head. "But I made a bet with Honeypaw, Larkpaw and Harepaw that I would catch prey on my first day, and if I can't I'm going to have to do all their apprentice work."

Dawnstream let out a mrroww of amusement. She remembered her apprenticeship, when they were all eager and immature ."Well, then you better look out for more prey as we head for camp."

As they reached camp, to Lichenpaw's luck a bird was on the ground hiding next to a big rock. "Look, a crow! What's it doing near the camp?" Lichenpaw meowed. Dawnstream pointed to its wing. "It can't fly. Why don't you kill it? It'll be your kill."

Lichenpaw nodded. "But, it isn't fair."

Her mentor just shook her head. "But you still killed it, and it's your prey." She pointed out.

Lichenpaw shouldered her way through. "I guess so." She bounded to the crow. The crows eyes were wide with fear, and then closed them. Lichenpaw just sliced its throat halfway, leaving it limp. She thanked StarClan and picked the crow up.

They entered the hollow to see their leader, Brassstar calling a meeting.

"As we all know, we are suspecting ShadowClan of stealing prey. They looked skinny during the gathering anyway. We shall send a patrol to the border, to talk. If a fight begins there will be another patrol waiting behind all the thick bramble bushes. For camouflage, I want my brown warriors and perhaps tabbys to be the second patrol. Sort it out, Cherrytongue." He jumped off the ledge and padded into his den signaling with his tail to Snowflurry.

Cherrytongue padded to the middle of the clearing with all cats gathered around her. "Okay, all brown warriors and apprentices come to this my left."

Brownpelt, Mousetail, Leafblaze, Bramblefur, Dirtpaw, Volepaw and Crowpaw padded to the left. Crowpaw was black but in the sun it looked brown.

"Okay, and for the main patrol lets have no apprentices. I'll go, Snowdrop, Hollymist, Apricotroot, Riverheart, Dawnstream and Appleblossom. " Cherrytongue went on." And as for the border patrol for the WindClan border, let's have, Silvertail, Crystalfrost, Oceanstorm, Reedpaw and Fuzzypaw. The hunting patrol, Dovesong, Fallenleaves, Reedfeather and Ashheart, take Honeypaw and Larkpaw with you." She breathed. "And for the second hunting patrol, I want Razorclaw to take Lichenpaw , Darkpool and Harepaw, Amberwhisker and Tawnypaw, Pebbletree and Vinepaw."

Cherrytongue led the warriors out with the second battle patrol. As they reached the ShadowClan border, and the second patrol hid behind the bushes, a ShadowClan patrol appeared.

Nightfoot, Sleekpaw, Fernpaw, Wavesplash, Emberpaw, Ambertail and Stormtail came to the border bristling. "What are you doing here?" Stormtail hissed.

"We are on our side of the border, and we need to speak to you" Cherrytongue retorted.

Wavesplash was about to blop out a mean comment but Nightfoot silenced her.

"What is it, Cherrytongue.?" Nightfoot growled.

She sat down and licked her paw. "We know you're hunting on our grounds."

Sleekpaw unsheathed his claws. "What?"

Dawnstream took a step. " You could've just asked. You seem hungry." She gazed the patrol. They were very skinny. It's only Leaf-fall.

Fernpaw chuckled. "What were you going to say? Oh , sure! Take as much as you want! We don't need perm—"

Ambertail silenced the young she-cat quickly. "Not another word, frog-brain!" she whispered harshly.

Fernpaw flattened her ears, realizing she gave away evidence.

"Ri-ight" she mewed sarcastically.

Nightfoot unsheathed her claws. "You're accusing us for something we didn't do?"

Stormtail began to tense. "Typical ThunderClan! If you think we're hunting on your stupid, no-prey grounds, you're wrong!"

Hollymist unsheathed hers. " Well, true, these useless cats can't catch a mouse, or a squirrel, nor a bird let along a rabbit! They're pathetic! We can leave the prey for them. Even these birds are smarter than ShadowClan. They're idiots. They can't even protect themselves. The only thing they can do is show a claw, look twice our size and…oh! Nothing else at all!" she taunted.

Dawnstream realized she was trying to get them mad, so they would admit it. She exchanged a glance with Hollymist nodding.

Stormtail leaped at Hollymist pinnign her to the ground. She raked his belly with her hind legs and pounced on him, She nipped his neck quickly making him faint. With that little mayhem, Nightfoot leaped at Cherrytongue but she dodged. Dawnstream battled with Oceanstorm and Apricotroot with Ambertail. Riverheart and Appleblossom, easily pinned Sleekpaw and Fernpaw to the ground. When they let go they fled to their camp. Dawnstream had Oceanstorm knocked by his legs. She bit his leg hard and held on to it.

Oceanstorm let out a screech and fled. Appleblossom was helping Hollymist while Riverheart helping Apricotroot. Dawnstream batted Nightfoot. The second patrol came when Stormtail let out a yowl. Nightfoot saw the patrol and left her battle. "ShadowClan, retreat!"

ShadowClan cats were fleeing to their camp, when Nightfoot stood back. "This isn't over! Good job, ThunderClan. You're brains worked for once. You're prey is quite tasty, though!" She chuckled and limped back to camp.

"I knew it!" Apricotroot yelled. He was bleeding heavily around his ear. Hollymist had a few patches of fur missing and Dawnstream's belly was scratched. Cherrytongue, was limping heavily because Nightfoot had misplaced her leg.

"Mousetail and Bramblefur, help Cherrytongue back to camp." Dawnstream ordered.

Bramblefur looked up and hissed. "You can't order us around."

Dawnstream stepped forward her eyes blazing. "Fine, have her on the ground helpless, dying."

Bramblefur snorted of anger and helped Cherrytongue up.

They walked to camp quickly. The hunting patrols were waiting out for news. Snowflurry came out to see the injured cats.

Dawnstream was so tired. She walked to camp. Lichenpaw was looking at her. "Go get some rest." Dawnstream was going to talk back, but she shut her mouth. She fell asleep. The next day she blinked her eyes open. She didn't feel tired anymore. She looked around the warriors den. It had a couple of cats snoring and the rest outside. I poked my head out and I saw…

Lichenkit?

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><p><em><strong>I know you're wondering...what? The thing is, I just wanted to give you a surprise!<strong>  
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_**Please Review if you just want to or have questions! But BE SURE TO REVIEW! Or Lichenkit will haunt your dreams...**_


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